


Graduation

by c00kie



Series: That Book By Nabokov [8]
Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - High School, BDSM, D/s, F/M, Teacher-Student Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-05
Updated: 2015-08-05
Packaged: 2018-04-13 04:13:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4507344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/c00kie/pseuds/c00kie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Leslie graduates, but there are still obstacles.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Graduation

She’s hugging her mom when Ben finds her in the crowd, holding her cap and diploma in her hands. The sun has turned her skin slightly pink but she’s beaming when she turns to him, her smile making him feel hotter than the sun ever could.

“Congratulations,” he says, and before he can say anything else, she throws her arms around him. He freezes at the familiar press of her body to his, unsure if he should hug her back. She might not longer be his student, but he doubts this is how she wants the world to find out.

“Leslie, let the poor man go.”

Leslie’s still smiling when she pulls away. “Sorry.”

He knows that sorry. It’s the same sorry she gave two nights ago when she was being bratty and he bent her over and spanked her until she was wet and begging in his kitchen.

“It’s fine,” he says, eyes never leaving hers. “I just wanted to wish you a happy future. I shouldn’t say this, but you are my favorite student.”

He knows that look. It’s the one she gives when she’s two seconds away from kissing him. She refrains though, and he finds himself slightly disappointed. But he breaks their eye contact and looks at her mother, whose head is tilted, studying them.

He coughs, trying to hide his nervousness. “It was nice seeing you again, Ms. Griggs-Knope.”

“You too, Ben,” she says, eyes still narrowed when he walks away.

He spends the next few hours wishing congratulations to other students and making small talk with parents, never once letting Leslie out of his sight. She meets his eyes several time, and even from the distance, he knows what she’s thinking.

He goes home, showers, washes the stack of dishes in his sink, heats up a calzone and cracks open a beer, eating and drinking on his couch while he watches _Blade Runner_.

He doesn’t expect his door bell to ring.

He really doesn’t expect to answer it and see Marlene on his porch. “Ms. Griggs-”

“Are you my daughter’s boyfriend?”

“Knope.” He swallows, her stare cutting him to the bone.

“Don’t play dumb, Wyatt,” she says, pushing her way through into his house. “We both know my daughter is not as sneaky as she thinks she is. I know she has a boyfriend, and given how she’s been trying to keep it a secret, I have to think it’s someone I wouldn’t approve of, someone not allowed. And then, today I saw the way she looked at you, and the way you looked back. So tell me, Mr. Wyatt, are you my daughter’s boyfriend?”

Ben quickly goes over his options, only to realize he has none except to tell the truth. “Yes.”

He expects her to slap him, to threaten to have him fired, but instead she says, “This is the part where you offer me a drink.”

“I only have beer.”

“That’s fine.”

They sit in his kitchen. She sits in the same chair Leslie gave him a lap dance on, the same chair she clung to when he had a bad day at work and needed to fuck his anger away. The same chair she eats the waffles he makes her in the morning before she goes home.

It feels like hours go by while Marlene drinks her beer in silence, rather than just a few minutes. Several times his phone goes off, but he ignores it. Eventually though, she puts her beer down, just as the alert chimes again.

“Just answer her,” Marlene says, with a slight groan. “She won’t stop until you do.”

So he does, unable to stop the smile that forms when he sees those three words. He reads through the text, each one dirtier than the next. He keeps his response simple and precise though, not acknowledging her lack of panties or anything else. He puts the phone down and stands up, taking their empty bottles and throwing them into the recycling.

“I know better than to forbid this,” Marlene says, causing Ben to turn around. “but you and I both know there will a scandal when it comes out. It will not matter how old she was or if she was the only one. They will accuse you of raping other students-”

“I didn’t.”

“They will say you did, Ben. So I suggest you find another job. And that you two continue keeping this a secret until you do. And that you lie when they ask how long you’ve been together.”

“Why are you-”

“Because this is the happiest I’ve seen her in a long time,” Marlene answers before Ben can get the question out. “And as long as she stays happy, I will give you my conditional blessing. But if you hurt her-”

He can’t say anything other than, “Thank you.”

He walks her to his door, his phone chiming. “Are you going to tell her you know?”

“No. She will tell me when she’s ready. Goodnight, Ben.”

“Goodnight.”

He closes the door and goes to answer his phone. ‘Can I come over?’

He types in, ‘yes’ and waits for her.


End file.
